Why Enterprise Security Needs APIs

SaiLayneJoel

May 19, 2016

From time to time, we will have guest authors weigh in on specific topics here. While I’m interested in all topics, and have opinions on almost all things related to APIs and data :), sometimes it’s better to let the experts have a say. So here is a first guest post. This topic is especially important because by now people realize that digital transformation requires APIs. And we know that APIs require security. But does security need APIs? I discussed this in a previous post; here's the first in a series of posts that elaborates on the topic.

Enterprise security incidents surged by 38% last year and malicious attacks on enterprise data continue to have significant impact, incurring a cost of over $500 billion today to an estimated $2 trillion by 2019. Enterprises are adopting APIs and API facades to secure access to valuable enterprise data from both internal and external users and apps.

Although many new apps use REST APIs, many enterprises still employ web applications that make direct calls to backend systems. To date, enterprises have used a layered security model to thwart external threats at the app layer. By mandating the use of APIs to access critical enterprise data, enterprises can create effective security control points and gain several security advantages.

Smaller attack surface

Today, when there’s a security breach in an application, all the backend systems that provide data to the app can be exposed. By ensuring the apps only use APIs to access data on backend systems, you can automatically restrict access to a smaller set of resources and data by passing the requests through an API gateway. This minimizes the attack surface should a breach occur.

Smaller attack window

Web apps that use simple usernames and passwords are challenged to securely store these credentials. Rotating them frequently is also difficult and therefore rarely implemented. In the event of a compromise, the enterprise is severely exposed as there is no time dimension to the credentials (they don’t generally expire).

By using APIs and OAuth, you limit the opportunity for attackers by using continuously rotating credentials that expire frequently.

Defense in depth

By using API management, enterprise security teams can deploy an effective, layered security framework. You can enforce a set of security policies across all your enterprise APIs (spike arrest and injection threat protection, for example) and, if required, enforce additional security policies, such as OAuth2, on select APIs.

Think of an API management platform as the internet-exposed layer of your applications environment that provides a defensive capability in front of your backend systems.

Versioning

With APIs and API management, you have the flexibility to downgrade or upgrade your API versions seamlessly as part of remediation efforts against security breaches. You can also roll out new API versions to select audiences before wider rollout to minimize security risks.

Virtual patching

An API management platform enables virtual patching and quick remediation against an identified vulnerability in a downstream system without having to change the source code of the system. By applying new security policies to limit potentially malicious input in the API gateway, you can significantly mitigate the impact of zero-day exploits and unpatched systems.

Security metrics

Most enterprises have limited visibility into the vulnerabilities of apps accessing your enterprise data. With APIs and API management, you automatically gain granular visibility into which backend systems are accessed insecurely.

By mandating the use of APIs to access any critical enterprise data, you create effective security control points and your enterprise assets become more secure. Enterprises that are going digital and are concerned about their assets should consider an API-first approach to their digital transformations.

Coming up, we’ll take a more in-depth look into the benefits of using APIs to secure enterprise data.